What is fire?

In an era of globalization, the refractory industry requires a well educated workforce with a worldwide technical knowledge to remain competitive in the long term. In addition, a current commitment to fundamental refractory research programmes is imperative to provide future innovative solutions and technological developments for the refractory consumer.

Networking the refractory expertise from the global refractory community will not only provide access to both expensive analytical equipment but also the broad knowledge base required in this dynamic arena. Furthermore, FIRE will also provide the opportunity to raise the profile of refractory science and engineering in the academic community and the critical role of refractories in the manufacturing of iron and steel, none-ferrous metals, glass, cement, chemical, power, environmental, petrochemical and ceramic industries.

To reach these two goals, FIRE is:

To promote the internationalisation of academic education by suitable means, including international study programs and student exchange.

To bring together the world wide most competent persons and institutions in refractory sciences, both from academic and industrial institutions.

To combine education with state of the art research in the field of refractories, thus helping to guarantee a qualified education.

To mediate between industrial and academic institutions to meet the demands in the fields of refractory education and research.

Federation for International Refractory Research and Education

FIRE is a world-wide network of academic institutions and companies active in the fields of refractories (manufacturers, suppliers, users and other service providers).
FIRE offers students great opportunities for excellent education and international experiences – since 2006.
FIRE supports research and development in the fields of refractories by connecting people, knowledge and infrastructure.
FIRE is your reliable partner, due to experts working in the Executive Committee (5) or in the Board of Members (25 at the time: 10 from academics, 15 from industries).

Fund

Fund international studies and research activities in the field of refractories

Fund

Funding is obtained through membership fees, and is supplemented by Granting Agencies fostering international exchanges and synergies – to implement FIRE’s activities, based on five University’s Campus.

Support

Support academic education by promoting student exchanges and generating double(multiple) degree programs organized by two or more universities.

Support

FIRE’s function is to stimulate and reinforce the higher education system in refractory materials engineering in order to fulfill the cultural educational and research related needs of the Refractory Industry.

Pool

Pool the expertise, the experience and the willingness of the worwide most competent persons,institutions and companies in the field of refractories.

Pool

FIRE’s is the vehicle to carry forward the Refractory Industry in a cooperative and consolidated effort that will benefit each individual member involved (academics and producers).

Chris Parr
Chairman

Oh behalf of FIRE I am extremely proud to invite you to come and explore what we have to offer.

One of the great challenges facing each global industry is to educate engineers for the future. The refractory industry is no exception and there is a need for young engineers who are able to conceive, design, implement and operate complex, value-added refractory products to optimize the entire refractory life cycle. It is also essential to recognize that those young engineers will be called to work in an international team-based environment, hence will have to be trained to develop not only a working knowledge of technical fundamentals but also will have to learn and develop personal and interpersonal skills across cultural frontiers.

The educational goal to achieve this requires multidisciplinary skills across a range of subjects ranging from academic to industrial. FIRE with its unique multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary composition is able to exactly draw on these skills and provide a unique framework for furthering refractory education within the context of multi partner research programmes. We aim to stimulate and reinforce international education and ree search programmes for the refractory industry and aim to be a truly international across borders Research and Industrial consortium.

I heartily encourage young graduates to come and investigate what FIRE can offer as the means of providing international exchanges as a precursor to an international career in the fascinating world extreme materials in the form of refractories either from an industrial or academic perspective.

Our strength is our unique grouping of expertise with 27 members drawn from all sectors of the refractory producing, supplying and consuming industries coupled with the world’s leading academic institutions involved in refractory research. We are committed to a series of research programmes which are by definition pre-competitive and are aimed at leveraging the research network capability of FIRE with contributions from both industrial and academic partners. They are designed to further refractory science and provide a basis for education through academic research.

We welcome new industrial and academic members from around the world who can complement our skills and experience within the network. I would encourage you to make contact with us to discuss what we do and how we can create value for you and your organisation by being part of FIRE.

“The global interaction proposed by FIRE is always an amazing opportunity of learning and meeting new and already known people in order to move forward in terms of networking and technical discussions”

Mariana Abuquerque de Lima Braulio , Federal University, São Carlos

I could work among a very qualified team, on an interesting research subject and could learn more about materials sciences.

Gabriel Chevallier, Polytech, Orléans

“I have learned a lot about the refractory field and I have discovered interesting countries.”

Guillaume Sauget, Polytech, Orléans

“It was possible to acquire qualified knowledge in microstructural analyses, fundamental studies and corrosion mechanisms in refractories.
The objective of enriching the MSc projects as well as developing my professional skills was completely fulfilled.”

Eric Sako, Federal University, São Carlos

“My internship was exactly what I have dreamt of: An interesting subject with a very good team and within an international context.”

Florian Genty, Polytech, Orléans

“I was really pleased with this experience, both with the academic aspect and with the cultural aspect. For me, those seven months were a relevation of all possibilities offered by scientific research.”

Lise Loison, ENSCI, Limoges

“I had the chance to improve my scientific as well as personal skills during my work and studies abroad.”

Bianca Sandurkov, Federal University, São Carlos

” Thanks to the federation, I could meet professionals with whom I acquired knowledge in a field present in a lot of different industries”

Anaïs Laurent, ENSCI, Limoges

Industrial Partner

Universities Partnerships

FIRE is a world-wide network of academic institutions and companies active in the fields of refractories.

FIRE offers students great opportunities for excellent education and international experiences.

FIRE supports research and development in the fields of refractories by connecting people, knowledge and infrastructure.